Soldier
by RowlingTribute91
Summary: Cressida's never enjoyed watching The Hunger Games. She's never known her real family, either. So when the 74th Hunger Games end with a surprising twist, it sparks the courage she needs to become a Capitol rebel. What Cressida learns about herself during this journey will alter her life forever.
1. Chapter 1

"Ok, Cressida," Seneca Crane says. "We're testing camera one, in five, four, three, two…"

I turn a knob on my control panel, and I watch the screen above me as it reveals a shimmering lake, deep within a beautiful forest. Beautiful, but deceiving.

This is the arena of the 74th annual Hunger Games. I've been installing arena cameras for about three years now, yet it never gets easier. I know the lenses are only going to witness horror. What can I do, though? My job pays well, I get to visit places that are off-limits for most civilians, and, I always remind myself, I don't play a hand in the deaths.

"All right. Let's see camera two." Beside me, our Head Gamemaker scratches his decorative beard, while I continue the work. I'm overseeing 30 cameras. There are 100 total, just so viewers don't miss a second of action.

Later that day, the Hunger Games begin.

* * *

Two weeks result in twenty-two deaths. But luckily, rules have been changed. Seneca decided two victors can win if they're from the same district. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are the final tributes, both from District 12. Which means, they've just made history!

Whatever remains of the District 2 boy is lying at the foot of the Cornucopia, thanks to the muttation dogs he got attacked by. Cato, his name was. There's an arrow in his chest where Katniss shot him. It was torture, watching him die; so I don't think of the arrow as something evil. It granted Cato peace. His last words haunt me:

 _I'm dead, anyway. I always was, right?_

The boy slaughtered without mercy, even though it killed him slowly. Katniss and Peeta sit on top of the Cornucopia, looking exhausted, but relieved that their nightmare has ended. She's only got minor bruises, cuts, and burn marks. I'm worried about Peeta, though. One of his legs was gnawed at by a mutt, and doctors probably won't be able to repair it. I fear he might not actually survive. Katniss helps him down from the Cornucopia while they await the hovercar.

Their bliss gets interrupted by Claudius Templesmith's on-air commentary:

"Attention! The previous announcement, allowing two victors from the same district, has been… revoked. Only one can be crowned victor. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

I curse under my breath. Seneca must've thought it would be clever, lulling them into a false sense of security. He's usually pretty likeable. But sometimes, I wish I could strangle him.

Katniss and Peeta stare at each other helplessly. Whatever is between them- I wouldn't call it a _romance_ , since we're talking about TV- has just gone downhill, fast.

"Go on. Kill me," he says. "One of us has to win. They have to have their victor."

She replies boldly, "No, they don't. Why should they?" From her pockets, she produces berries of an indigo color.

"No!" he exclaims. All of us watching share the same reaction: pure shock. I thought Katniss would rather be victor, but hey, I admire her bravery.

"Trust me," she tells Peeta.

And so, he takes a handful.

Katniss begins the countdown: "Three…"

"Two…"

They raise the nightlock to their lips. "One-"

"Stop! Stop!" Claudius pleads. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the victors of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games."

 _Unbelievable._ Seneca changed his mind, again.

* * *

At dinner, my family and I can't hold in our giddiness. Well, actually, they're not related to me. I was adopted a few days after I was born. Although I don't call them Mom and Dad, Selene and Raphael Dormer are my parents, as far as I'm concerned. They have a daughter of their own, named Delphyne, who is older than me by five years. Delphy, she's one of a kind. She loves experimenting with her hair, and today, she's chosen neon blue. It creates quite the contrast against her coffee-brown skin- she got that from Raphael. I've always looked up to Delphy. She earns her money by styling tributes; District 2, as a matter of fact. We never pretend to understand how the victors recover- or if they ever _do_ recover. But we're die-hard optimists. This is our way of supporting them. Keeping the faith alive.

"Can you believe what just happened?" I ask Delphy.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" She stares at her feet, wiping away tears. "I can't stop thinking about Cato… the poor kid. He didn't want any of this. I know he didn't. One time, when I was checking to see if his costume fit, he said… he said the District Two mayor _forced_ him to volunteer."

Selene shakes her petite head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Our country's just so predictable now," Raphael says. He repositions himself on the couch, which squeaks under his massive frame. "That's why. Only a true psychopath could want to be in the Hunger Games."

 _Like Clove._ The District 2 girl. But, then again, maybe she was just wearing a mask in the hopes of surviving. It's been a winning strategy before. Not for Clove. She didn't stand a chance once Thresh grabbed her.

"I don't think I can be a Hunger Games camera tech anymore," I admit to them.

"If that's how you feel," Selene replies, "then, by all means, resign. They won't need you again until the Victory Tour begins. Enough notice for Seneca to hire a new camera tech."

Her encouragement drives me to begin carving this new path for myself. So I say, "First thing in the morning, I'll talk with him."

Delphy takes the remote and selects a different channel... just as my boss appears in the right-hand corner of the screen.

"Breaking news," Caesar Flickerman announces. "Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker, has died unexpectedly."

 _No._

"Mister Crane served the Capitol for many years, both as an escort and a Gamemaker. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're deeply saddened by this loss. But our esteemed President Snow is wasting no time in finding a replacement. We've received a statement from his staff that he'll be interviewing Gamemakers this week, and hopes to choose their new leader by the end of the week. This Head Gamemaker will have a big job on his or her hands, as you know, because next year, we celebrate the Third Quarter Quell!"

"' _Unexpectedly_ '," Raphael scoffs. "Yeah, right. I'll bet you anything he was executed."

I have to admit, I was thinking along the same lines. My heart drops with the knowledge that Seneca died because he decided to be a human, for once. Now the question is: Where do I go from here? I guess there's something I could do… Maybe I should quit putting it off and face my unfinished business, while I've got freedom.

"Hey, you guys," I suddenly declare, placing Selene's dainty hands into my own, "You know I love you, but… I'm twenty-three years old, and I've always wondered about my birth parents… I think it's time I found out who they are."

"And you've got every right to find out," Raphael assures me.

Delphy adds, "I'm behind you one-hundred percent, no matter what."

"I wish we had the answers," Selene replies. "Unfortunately, we didn't receive any information beyond what we've told you before."

I nod. "Right. Which is why I plan on leaving here so I can learn more. I already know where to look first."

And that night, I reserve my seat for tomorrow's earliest train.


	2. Chapter 2

District 3 is booming with industry. The apartment complexes, vehicles, and roaring machines almost remind me of the Capitol; except that people here look normal. My shaved head immediately conveys to everyone that I don't fit in with them. But my clothes make up for it. Puffy dresses, wigs and tall high heels? Uh, _no_. I'm comfortable wearing a printed shirt, jeans, and boots.

The man I came to see is just outside the train station. His head of black hair is facing downward, absorbed with something on his tablet.

"Hey, Beetee," I say.

Though Beetee Latier endured and won the Hunger Games, he's in a pretty good state of mind. Perhaps it's because he killed the final six tributes with an electric trap. He never actually had to fight. Ever. We met in the Capitol, where he sometimes teaches computer classes. I've learned so much about technology from him.

When I speak, he looks up. "Oh. Hey, Cressida. I was just checking some details about my newest project for the Capitol. Welcome to District Three."

"Glad to be here," I reply, smiling. "Thanks for meeting on such short notice."

"I don't mind a bit. Being me, my schedule's always flexible."

We leave the train station, walking towards Beetee's apartment in the Victors' Penthouse- which also doubles as his office.

"What's your new Capitol project?" I ask him.

"The Quarter Quell. They're remodeling the Training Center, and yours truly will be the head electrician."

How twisted. Over twenty years ago, they drew Beetee's name in a very unlucky raffle; fully expecting that it would lead to his death. Now he _works_ for them?

I guess the Capitol has a game of its own. Persuasion.

When Beetee opens his door, we enter the living room. The beautiful fireplace mantle (Capitol-made, of course) is decorated with pictures of Beetee and his family. He married another District 3 victor, Wiress Plummer. They've got a son named Beck- twelve years old, I think. Inside a glass display case, I see Wiress and Beetee's Victory Tour portraits. Their crowns lay beside them, polished, constructed of real gold. But we pass the living room, into Beetee's office.

"Whoa."

It's not just his equipment that impresses me. The whole room, from ceiling to floor, is covered in red tally marks.

"Wiress did that," Beetee says as he powers up his computer. "Each of those represents a fallen tribute."

"It's… beautiful."

"Thanks," a childish, female voice replies. Wiress herself stands by the door.

"Hey, Wiress," I say.

"Here to help," she tells me.

It was a closed adoption, but I do know that Cressida is what my real mom wanted to name me. Raphael and Selene honored this wish so I'd have at least some piece of her.

"If we have any chance of discovering your roots," Beetee explains, "it'll be in the DNA. So, I need a sample. Wiress is going to take it to the lab next door, and then, we'll match it to Panem's entire database of birth records. They collect DNA from every baby when he or she is born, no matter if they go home with their biological parents or not."

Wiress hands me a little tube with a cotton swab inside. "Make it good."

After swiping the roof of my mouth, I give Wiress the DNA sample.

"Be right back," she says.

While Beetee logs into the birth records database, endless possibilities fly through my brain. Am I originally from the Capitol? I doubt it. Barely ten percent of the country's population lives there. They don't bother with the outer districts, so, most likely, I was born in some district around the Capitol borders. Could it be District 1? District 2? District 5? Or have I already returned home, to District 3?

Soon, Beetee's computer pings.

"We found you," he says. "Just to corroborate this info, tell me your full name and birthdate."

"Cressida Natalie Dormer; born October Twenty-Fifth in the year Twenty-One Thirty-Seven."

And then, Beetee, who always seems to be aware of things before anybody else is, opens his mouth in shock.

"It all makes sense now," he mutters.

" _What_ makes sense?" I ask.

"Cressida… I _know_ your mother. You look exactly like she did, back when…"

"Back when…?"

"Back when she won the Hunger Games."


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- Sorry I made you guys wait so long! Hope you're enjoying the story... and counting down the days until Mockingjay Part 2 :| Bittersweet.**

* * *

My whole body feels paralyzed. "Come again?"

"Her name should be familiar to you," Beetee says. "She's Ruby Lightman, from District One. Victor of the Forty-Eighth Hunger Games. Maybe you remember her maiden name: Wyatt."

"Ruby Wyatt," I recite.

"Which means Jasper Lightman is your father," Beetee tells me.

I remember Ruby's husband from interviews I've seen. You know how Capitol people _love_ catching up with the victors and their not-so-private lives. Of course, I'm not really a Capitol person. District 1 should be my home. I should've had my name entered into the reaping, every year, for 7 years.

"Beetee," I ask slowly, "You wouldn't mind calling them later… Would you? They'd probably like it better if they hear from a friend before they hear from me."

"Sure, Cressida. But, um…" He begins fidgeting, expression grim. It communicates everything he's too afraid to say.

I recall a news headline from years ago: _Hunger Games victor Ruby Lightman grieves the loss of her husband, Jasper Lightman._

"Oh."

Beetee nods somberly. "Jasper's been gone for five years now. Cancer. Doctors have done miraculous things. Still, not everyone survives."

"Sounds like you knew him, too," I remark.

"All of us victors get together sometimes, and she'd bring him along. So, yeah, I knew him."

Why, _why_ did I wait to locate my parents? Now Jasper's just a ghost, a memory passed on to me by his friends and family. Raphael is wonderful, but he can't replace the man responsible for my existence.

"Beetee, I want to see Ruby's Hunger Games highlights, if you have them."

"Okay," he replies. "I'll get that uploaded. I'm warning you, though: people act desperately when their lives are on the line. Please, don't judge her by what she did over thirty years ago."

I sense he's also thinking, _don't judge me, either_. He doesn't realize that I've watched his Games highlights. Beetee spent a whole day inside a rocky crevice hideout, pacing back and forth. Deciding whether or not he should electrocute his last opponents. Just before he ignited the wires, he very clearly muttered, _forgive me_.

"I won't," I promise him.

* * *

Ruby Wyatt's Hunger Games video starts at the reaping. I can spot her instantly, among girls who appear seventeen or eighteen years old. It's plain to see where I inherited my curvy, thin eyebrows, giant blue eyes, and square chin. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd think she was _me_.

But the escort reaps a different girl's name.

 _She didn't-_

"I volunteer as tribute!" Ruby calls out. She announces her name proudly, like every District 1 tribute who has come before and after her. Her district partner is another volunteer, a guy named Bronx.

Ruby and Bronx start off the tribute parade, wearing fur coats, flashing movie star grins. Both later receive exhibition scores of 10.

When the video cuts to interviews, Ruby goes first.

"So, Miss Wyatt, can you tell us exactly what prompted you to volunteer?" the host asks. He's an unfamiliar man named Seth Malone.

"I'm all about representing my district, and proving myself," Ruby says, flipping her golden hair back. Her turquoise dress glitters against the lights. "Nothing gets me more excited than a little friendly competition."

I have a feeling her answer was rehearsed, but she poises herself so gracefully that nobody seems to mind. She's a natural in front of the camera.

"If you had to choose just one weapon for the duration of the Games, what would it be?"

Ruby giggles. "Well, a knife, obviously. You can use it for anything."

"Any last words for your fellow tributes?"

"I wish everyone good luck… but of course, I fully intend to win."

Then, it goes straight to the arena. It's a vast desert; maroon-colored sand, canyons, and boulders as far as the eye can see.

Ruby springs into action, killing two tributes during the bloodbath. She's mercifully quick about it. Throwing knives at their throats. For the next few days, she allies with Bronx, her district partner, and the District 2 tributes. They're a deadly team. But not as lethal as the arena itself. The heat must be unbearable. Ruby and her group can't seem to find much water, and the Gamemakers even create a drought that lasts twenty-four hours. The District 2 girl becomes the first 'Career' to die after backing into a poisonous cactus. Venomous snakes lurk around every darkened space.

Ruby gets less enthusiastic as time goes on. She avoids major injuries… until the end, when she's near a particularly dangerous canyon. Spiky rocks completely fill the bottom.

Only a single tribute stands in her way. Bronx.

"I should've known it would come down to us," he says, wrapping his fingers around his chosen weapon: the axe.

"Wish it hadn't," Ruby tells him. They're both frozen in place. "How long has it been since we met? Two years?"

"Six."

"Wow. That doesn't seem possible." Neither of them can look at each other. She holds onto her knife with sweaty palms.

 _They were_ _friends_ , I realize. _Maybe neighbors, too._ And they're making sure the Capitol is held accountable.

"So, good luck, Br- AAAAHHHH!"

Bronx has snuck up on Ruby while they talked, and now he's cut her deeply in her left leg. But Ruby doesn't give up. As she falls, she pulls him down with her, stabbing his stomach. They're only a foot away from the jagged canyon. Bronx raises his axe for a second blow, not willing to die so easily.

"I don't mean anything by this," he insists. "Just remember that."

"Same," she replies.

Then, Ruby somehow pushes her district partner off of her- and over the canyon's edge. He's dead almost instantly.

"Oh my gosh," I whisper.

This girl would one day become my mother.

Once I catch my breath, I go to find Beetee. He grabs his phone and dials…

 _We're really doing this_ , I think. My birth mother is just a phone call away.

"Hi, Ruby," he says. "It's Beetee."

He listens for her response.

"Well, I have somebody with me who really wants to talk to you," he says.

Another beat of silence.

"I should let her tell you herself," he replies.

I'm trembling as he lends me the phone.

"H… Hello," I mumble.

"Hello. This is Ruby Lightman. Who's calling?"

The sound of her voice nearly brings me to tears; clear as a bell, yet it also has a tinge of melancholy.

"Cressida Dormer," I reply.

There's an extremely long pause. "Did you say _Cressida_?"

"Yeah. I'm your… your daughter."

"I wondered if you'd ever find me," Ruby confesses. "Listen, I know you have a lot of questions, and I want to give you my full attention. Why don't you come to Victors Village?"

Despite the fact that she left me in someone else's care, I can't help smiling. She really does seem eager to meet. "I was hoping you'd ask."


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for your patience. Just letting you know that I haven't abandoned the story! You'll get every last bit of it. Happy Holidays, and I hope you enjoy the rest :D**

I've been to District 1 many times. Now, when I arrive, I get a warm sensation throughout me. _This is where I'm meant to live._ It's much colder up here, but Capitol people enjoy visiting for winter activities. Victors' Village lies nestled within a gorgeous mountain range (the same range the Capitol was built on). Being from the luxury hub of Panem, District 1's victors aren't given houses. They're given _mansions._ I hear their holiday parties are so big, even President Snow becomes a little envious. He never receives invitations, of course.

I stumble alone towards Ruby's door, and with one knock, I set off a new chapter in my life.

 _Here it goes._

An elderly woman answers. I know Ruby isn't older than fifty, so this can't be her. This is her mother, Amber. My grandmother. Inexplicably, she's taller than me by a foot. She's let her short hair turn silver, and she makes it look beautiful.

"Hello, Cressida," Amber says, reaching for my hand. "Ruby said you'd be coming today. It's a shame I never got to watch you grow up, but goodness, you're such a pretty young woman."

"Aw. Thanks, Amber."

"You have permission to call me Grandma, you know. Come inside, dear."

I follow, heart pounding. No turning back now. The marble floors echo as I walk inside, and I take in the beautiful architecture. Plush furniture is everywhere, topped off with chandeliers. Ruby, like Beetee, has a display case for her victory portrait and crown. But the place is depressingly empty.

"Ruby!" Amber calls out. "Cressida's here."

She approaches us slowly, wearing a violet peasant blouse and calf-length boots. Her blonde hair is plaited down her back. My mother.

"There you are," Ruby says.

"Hey." I feel my throat closing up. Then I get this child-like instinct. The instinct to fling my arms around her. She doesn't stop me, either. People take it for granted, hugging their parents whenever they want.

Finally, it's my turn.

Ruby steps back to look at me properly. "Wow. Doesn't she remind you of someone, Mom?"

"I almost wonder if I've gone back in time," Amber jokes. Posing side by side with Ruby, it's like I'm seeing two versions of my future self.

 _Oh yeah, we're definitely related._

"You two live here by yourselves?" I ask.

Amber shakes her head. "Oh, no. This place is way too big for just us."

"My brother and sister's families live here, too," Ruby explains. "They both were married, but my in-laws are dead now."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She frowns, as though I've upset her. "Enough with your politeness, honey! Just _say_ it already."

"Why did you give me up?" The words fly out. I held myself together on the phone- only because I needed to ask her in person.

My mom sighs and wrings her hands anxiously. "I was naïve. When you survive The Hunger Games, you're not completely whole anymore. Many of us lose our sanity. We quit participating in life. Though Jasper didn't understand what I'd been through, he loved me deeply and I loved him.

"But once I learned I was pregnant… something broke inside of me. What if this baby would get reaped someday, like I did? What if… what if I started hallucinating and accidentally harmed my child? Jasper's job kept him away from home a lot, so he wouldn't have been able to intervene. We debated; and we decided you were better off with another family. We did it to protect you."

"So you thought a closed adoption would protect me?"

"I'm not proud of it. Even if I felt well enough to raise you, I wasn't sure how you'd react when you learned what I did in order to win."

"Listen… I've had twenty-three years to fume about this. Believe me, I did. At first." I don't mention that I used to break things, every Mother's Day, like clockwork. "Guess what I realized? Anger's just a waste of energy. It doesn't help anybody. You already suffered enough in the arena, and we're together now, aren't we? I saw your Hunger Games, Ruby. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

Ruby gives me a bittersweet smile. She probably doesn't believe me, but I had to let her know. Life is way too short for regrets.

I stare down at my boots. "So… what do you want to do?"

"I thought we could stroll around District One," she says. "I'll show you my favorite places. Later, you can meet your Uncle Smoky and Aunt Opal."

"Sounds great," I reply.

I sleep in a guest room that night. The next thing I know I find myself moving into the mansion permanently.

Another blink, and half a year has gone by. It wasn't an easy choice, leaving my adopted family. I miss Raphael, Selene, and Delphy every day. But they visit sometimes. After so much time wasted, I couldn't pass up the chance to be with the people who biologically paved the way for me. They're amazing! Plus, I have a great new job, filming advertisements.

I hope nothing breaks this illusion.

It's a cold night in March when a Capitol broadcast interrupts our TV. Predictably, they show- what else? - Katniss Everdeen, modeling various wedding gowns. Harmless fun. Then, it changes scenery, to the Remake Center. President Snow approaches his podium.

"Of course," Ruby mumbles. "I think he's about to make the Quarter Quell announcement."

She's proven right when he refreshes our memories of the last two Quarter Quells. Tonight, we'll discover what the 75th Hunger Games have in store.

"As a reminder to the rebels that not even the strongest can overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors."


	5. Chapter 5

My mother's inconsolable. Me, I can't fathom this news. _I just started connecting with her, and she might be thrown back into the arena?_

Ruby flees the mansion before I can do anything; probably going to see her neighbors or just to get some privacy.

My uncle Smoky, who towers over most people, starts running after her. "Wait, Ruby, you-"

"Let her go," Amber tells him. "This isn't our place." But her eyes water, knowing that her daughter could face death soon.

"Not like we didn't think it could happen, with all the unrest lately," Aunt Opal admits. She might as well be Ruby's twin. Her two kids, Jewel and Lacey, sit beside her. They're older than me. As for Uncle Smoky's daughter, Aqua, she just avoided her very last reaping.

Of course, she doesn't feel like celebrating.

"Poor Aunt Ruby," she says. "They're really gonna do this to her?"

"If she's reaped," Jewel replies.

I decide it's best to take a walk. Anything to forget what Ruby could endure in a few months.

* * *

The Justice Building towers over everything. A constant hint that life isn't really as good as it seems here. Amber was a little girl during the Dark Days, so she has vague memories of Panem's history. What did she say Victor's Village used to be called? Boise, Idaho? It's hard to wrap my brain around the whole "50 states" thing.

We wait for what seems like a dreadfully long time. Selene, Raphael and Delphy have joined us, mostly to support me.

Ruby marches confidently alongside her fellow victors. We've got a bunch of those in District 1; nine in all. Five men, four women.

When the escort draws a name, we hold our breath.

"Your female tribute is… Cashmere Foxworthy."

 _Oh, thank God._ Am I horrible, feeling relieved that my mother is spared, while another woman suffers?

I see one of the younger male victors go completely pale, and his lips form the word, "No." Cashmere's brother, Gloss. They won back-to-back Hunger Games.

As his own name is called, I learn nothing is off-limits anymore.

 _Well, well._ These will definitely be a memorable Hunger Games. Two other victors step up to become mentors; and the siblings join hands, putting on their best fake smiles.

"This is bogus!" Raphael shouts.

"Don't aggravate the Peacekeepers," Selene whispers to him.

But he doesn't listen. Raphael confronts the nearest Peacekeeper and launches himself at him. Fists dance on both sides, until the Peacekeeper gains hold of his pistol. My heart beats wildly.

He fires into Raphael's head, and the man who raised me falls with a thud. Lifeless.

Ruby sprints down the Justice Building steps, headed for Victors Village. I fully expect Peacekeepers to trail her. They're too busy containing the full riot that has broken out. So, my family and I run after her, as far from the mayhem as possible. We must hold in our grief for now. Shots and cries are piercing the sky. It confirms what many outsiders couldn't guess:

Panem's richest district is fighting back.

Back inside the mansion, Ruby announces, "We're leaving."

"Where to?" I ask.

"I'll explain once we're inside my hovercar."

That's right. My mother owns a hovercar, and she knows how to pilot it herself. Quickly, we pack only what we need and board; two families united in rebellion.

Selene finally begins sobbing, and tears drip from her eyes.

"I'm sorry about your husband," Opal tells her.

"H-he… he only did what the rest of us were too afraid to do."

I hold onto Selene and Delphy as we travel, sharing our grief. We cry frequently. Ruby talks with someone through her headset.

"We'll be there soon," she tells her mysterious contact. She knows we're curious, but she holds a finger up. "He says there's a code phrase if you want in. Cressida, write this down, please, so we don't forget."

I grab a notepad and pen from my bag.

"' _From the ashes, we rise_.'"

It's confusing, to say the least. Has a rebellion blossomed in other districts, too? We're almost entirely isolated from them, but I'm sure they feel the same.

After two hours, Ruby instructs us to prepare for landing. Uncle Smoky peers out the window. "What the…"

Everything below appears to be a wasteland. Nature's begun to reclaim her territory, moss and wild plants sprouting in between crumbled buildings.

"Welcome," Ruby announces, "to District Thirteen."

"But nobody lives here," Lacey says.

My thoughts exactly.

"Not above ground."

Amber nods, as if she's always known. "It's just like my dad told me. There are survivors, right underneath us."

"Yes, Mom," Ruby answers. "We've been granted refuge with them."

 _From the ashes, we rise_ now has a completely different meaning to me. District 13 was reborn. The region that spawned The Hunger Games. Once Ruby gives the phrase, a steel door opens up beneath us. She flies the hovercar through it without hesitation.

Instantly, we enter another world. There are dozens of other hovercars in one massive garage. Beyond that, I see a staircase, winding down to never-ending levels below my feet. That must be where everyone lives.

A man in full combat uniform greets us as we exit the hovercar.

"Welcome to District Thirteen," he says. "Lysander Boggs, at your service. Who are you all?"

My mother steps forward. "Ruby Wyatt Lightman, and my family. I called earlier."

"Come with me, and we'll get you situated."

"You guys watch The Hunger Games down here?" Aunt Opal asks.

"We do," Boggs replies. "It would feel wrong if we didn't."

I'm definitely not regretting my decision to leave my old job, now that I know who my mother is. But the Games still continue.

The gong will ring out. And her friends will die.


	6. Chapter 6

It was the fastest Hunger Games in history- and there was no victor. I'm still trying to process everything.

We sit in our family's quarters, none of us wanting to sleep. Ruby wears her trusty headset. Through it, she can hear all the latest developments on the rebellion, before most of District 13 does. She has to receive news the instant it comes.

"No way!" Ruby suddenly exclaims. "Fantastic news! Oh, thank you. Come see us when you get here. I live in room six-two-six."

Aqua jumps to her side. "What's going on, Aunt Ruby?"

"Who are you talking to?" Jewel interjects. "Is it about the Quarter Quell?"

Lacey puts a hand up. "Let her breath for a second, you two. Please."

"I'm fine," Ruby assures us. "Everyone… you'll never guess what I just heard. The mockingjay lives."

 _The mockingjay lives_. Mockingjays are special birds. Renegades. But in this case, I know 'mockingjay' refers to a person; a girl who volunteered for her sister, who broke the rules.

"You don't mean to say that Katniss Everdeen is… _alive?_ Ruby, the whole jungle exploded-"

"I know, I know. But it's true. Katniss survived the Quarter Quell explosion! Well, she was pulled out by a crane, is more like it. The same way bodies are retrieved from the arena. That's not even the best part. Beetee and Finnick were rescued, too. They're being transported to the hospital wing right now."

 _Beetee's alive!_ The moment feels bittersweet, with his wife dead. There's no way I'll ever be able to forget watching as her throat was slit by Gloss. I don't know Finnick Odair personally, but he's my age.

"You're serious?" Uncle Smoky asks. "How?"

"Because of the one person that nobody ever suspected to be a rebel: Plutarch Heavensbee. He's the one I've been talking to."

"That's why he took the Head Gamemaker job," I conclude.

"Exactly. Should be here soon, actually. I asked him to come."

I've met Plutarch several times. My respect for him just kicked up a million notches.

"What about the other three?" I ask.

"The Capitol has them," Ruby says darkly. "Maybe not Enobaria, since District Two's their greatest friend."

District 1 used to be like District 2, until the reaping.

When Plutarch strolls into the room, he confirms this. "Enobaria actually just contacted me," he says. "She wants to be with the rebellion, but they're under so much surveillance… The Peacekeepers won't leave her alone."

Standing with him is another infamous person from District 12: Haymitch Abernathy, victor of the Second Quarter Quell.

"Is she back home?" Ruby asks.

"Unfortunately," Haymitch replies. He's obviously upset. For too many reasons. Though I hate what The Hunger Games does to people, I'm feeling a bit star-struck at the sight of him.

"Hello, Mr. Abernathy-"

He waves dismissively. "Please, call me Haymitch."

"Okay, Haymitch. Nice to meet you. I'm Cressida Dormer. Ruby Lightwood's daughter."

"Is that so? I remember when she turned up at a victor's party with her stomach bulging. Said she and Jasper were considering adoption. That's what I would've done… But hey, now, you're together again, and I actually get to meet you." Haymitch shakes my hand vigorously. "Glad you could join the cause!"

"Glad to help in whatever way I can," I say.

Plutarch nods. "We've got loads of work ahead of us before we'll be springing out the other victors from the Capitol. Our first priority is keeping Beetee alive. Until further notice, he's going to need twenty-four-hour care. Finnick Odair looks all right. He should be out of the hospital in a few days."

"And Katniss Everdeen?"

"She's not as good, but she'll get there. Once she has recovered, my plan is to shoot a few videos of her, showing her allegiance to the rebellion. And that's where your skills come in, Cressida. I want you to direct the Mockingjay's film crew, if you're willing."

"Absolutely," I say. I'll do whatever my heart tells me to do, if it means ending this violent cycle.

"Katniss won't like it," Haymitch insists. "Trust me. You can't keep that girl on a leash. And with Peeta gone…"

"I'll be patient," I assure him.

* * *

We leave for District 8 within the next month. Three young men await me inside the hovercar, carrying loads of filming gear. I recognize one of them.

"Messalla?"

"How's it going, Cressida?"

He's a guy most people would shy away from, with his numerous piercings. I say he rocks the warrior look. We had classes together in Capitol film school, and we quickly became friends. He and I throw our arms around each other briefly.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, smiling.

"Same thing you are." He points at the other two men. "These are my friends, Castor and his brother Pollux."

"Hey," Castor says with a grin.

"Hey," I reply.

Pollux shakes my hand, but he's noticeably silent. Then he opens his mouth. To my horror, there's no tongue.

"Oh." _An Avox._ "Can I ask how long…?"

"A few years," Castor tells me.

I know better than to ask further questions about it. Pollux must still have nightmares from that awful day, just like I have nightmares of watching Raphael being gunned down.

"While you serve as our leader," Messalla says, "Just call me your humble assistant. Pollux and Castor will do the filming."

The hovercar garage doors open… and there she is.

Katniss Everdeen. Our mockingjay. She holds it together much better than I assumed she would, after what she's gone through. Plutarch stands with her.

Waving from her to me, he says, "This is Cressida; in my opinion, the best up-and-coming director in the Capitol."

"Until I up and left," I add. I know we've only got so much time above ground, so I make the introductions: "This is my assistant, Messalla, and my cameramen, Castor and Pollux."

Katniss nods to them, and Pollux salutes her. I can tell she's waiting for him to speak. So I explain: "Don't expect much talk from him. He's an Avox. The Capitol cut out his tongue years ago."

"You're all from the Capitol?" she asks.

We nod. Technically, I am, since I was raised there. I'm not sure what she'd think of me if I confessed about Ruby. She's probably never met her.

"And, no," I quickly say, "it wasn't some kind of rescue mission, if that's what you're thinking. We all fled on our own, for this. For you."


	7. Chapter 7

It's official. My country lies in total disarray. District 12 no longer exists. It lays under miles of rubble. But I'm stuck below it all, wondering if and when President Snow will attack us. He's not stupid. He probably knows that Katniss Everdeen is here; his number one enemy.

With all the ammo District 13 reportedly has, why aren't they doing anything? Maybe we're just waiting for the right moment to show ourselves. I've kept all my things packed up- just in case. Until then, I've become a temporary citizen of District 13. It's hard to believe all these people have grown up down here. Do they ever get to be outside?

Because of my skills with electronics, I was assigned into the newsfeed room. A secret rebel within the Capitol made this connection possible. Beetee, thankfully, has recovered enough to work alongside me. My heart aches when I see him rolling around in a wheelchair. I don't know if his condition's permanent. I don't want to ask.

"Hey," I say meekly as we settle into our desks.

"Don't know how I feel about this underground life. Hopefully, I can go back home when it's safe."

"I hope we all can."

"They brought my family down here," Beetee informs me. "What's left, anyhow. Mother and Beck. Did I mention that?"

I give him a faint smile. Soon, we're joined by several other people, and the room gets crowded. Boggs, Plutarch, Haymitch, Katniss, Finnick Odair, they're all here. Even District 13's President Coin. Our goal tonight: broadcast one of the propros we've filmed. Surprising nobody, Beetee succeeds in getting it out.

However, the Capitol prevails.

Caesar Flickerman introduces… Peeta Mellark. This isn't the first time we've seen him on Capitol TV since his capture, but he looks infinitely worse. He's not the golden-haired boy I saw in his tribute interview last year. Two Hunger Games have taken a toll on him. That's not including whatever the boy's endured at the hands of the Capitol. He begs for all the violence to end.

"That poor boy," Beetee mutters, shaking his head.

Of course, Caesar asks Peeta if there's anything he'd like to say to his beloved Katniss.

Peeta looks up with a haunting stare. "Katniss, how do you think this will end? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol. Not in the districts. They're coming, Katniss. You in District Thirteen… You'll be dead by morning!"

I see Peacekeepers working to restrain him. And the screen goes black. Though I try my hardest, it won't return. My stomach drops. Peeta's warning rings in my ears. Across the room, I watch Haymitch talk with Plutarch, and President Coin. I hear snippets of their conversation. They're debating whether to run an air raid drill.

Sirens blare, with an automated voice telling us to retreat farther underground. Beetee and I head over to Plutarch, but Plutarch shakes his head.

"You sure you don't need me?" Beetee asks.

"Yes, I'm sure, Beetee. Get moving! You're too valuable."

I grab the handles of Beetee's wheelchair. Immediately, he starts pushing the wheels by himself.

 _Okay. Message received._ Plutarch, meanwhile, stays behind with President Coin and a select few people. No doubt they'll be launching a counterattack.

The rest of us march downstairs, to the emergency bunker. They're prepared for anything here. Amid the chaos, I find my family. All we can do is huddle together, while bombs rain down from above. I think President Snow knows that District 13's security is airtight. That nobody will die.

He's just fond of games.

* * *

Any day now, the rebellion will storm onto the Capitol. I just know it. We've been training for weeks, and I found that I have a pretty good aim with a rifle. Will I be able to end someone's life, if it comes down to that?

I feel like I'm becoming a tribute.

One morning, I hear a knock on the door. When Aunt Opal goes to answer it, Boggs waits outside, dressed in full combat gear.

"Is it time?" she asks.

"Yes, ma'am. All of you who trained, pack up. I'll let you say your goodbyes."

He goes back outside as we make our preparations. Ruby, Uncle Smoky and I are the ones who must leave. The rest of them are needed here. Not in the thick of everything. I'm glad they'll be safe- especially Selene and Delphy. They're the ones I know best, who've been with me the longest. Which means leaving them is even harder. They live in another compartment, and Boggs allows me to go there. When I embrace Selene, I hold onto her tightly.

"I'll keep you all in my thoughts," she whispers. "Be strong, for Raphael."

"For Raphael," I echo.

I hope these aren't my final moments with her.

Walking to the hovercraft garage, we're all silent. But we move with purpose.

"Is there any way the three of us can be together?" Ruby suddenly asks Boggs.

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible," he replies. "Cressida's got her name down for Katniss Everdeen's squad."

As I expected. Even as we battle, Plutarch wants us to film.

"Smoky and Ruby, though, you two have been put on the same squad."

My mother and uncle give each other high-fives. It warms my heart, which is just what I need in these uncertain times.

I'm heading back to the place where I was raised, and yet, it'll never be the same city that I grew up in. Not after this war ends. We don't know how many people will survive. My life could be over soon.

But if I die, I'll know I died fighting.


	8. Chapter 8

***Author's Note: I never meant to stretch it out this long, but we've finally reached the end! Thank you so much for reading Cressida's story.***

Barbed wire. Lizards. Meat grinders. Vaporizers. Somehow, I escaped them all, but Squad 451 was almost entirely wiped out. Messalla's death is still the hardest for me. He just… evaporated, like dust.

I guess one good thing happened: the president has been captured, and he'll face death soon. Though I can hope all I want, I have no clue if either Ruby or Uncle Smoky have come out of this alive. My squad is left to wait inside Snow's mansion. What remains of us, anyway. Me, Pollux, Katniss, Peeta, and Katniss' friend, Gale Hawthorne. The place isn't so opulent if you know the story behind it. We make ourselves at home on the floors, not wanting to sleep in the beds of tyrants. Fine by me.

It doesn't erase the bad dreams, either. I'm always running through sewers, firing at mutts, or escaping from crumbling buildings. The adrenaline wakes me up just as the sun is rising.

Peeta jumps awake on the other side of the room. He looks at me, and somehow, he immediately understands. We're still watching him, but he hasn't attacked anyone for a few days now. The tracker jacker venom must be wearing off.

"Hey, Cressida," he says. "It's over. You're safe now. Remember what today is?"

I rub my forehead. "Huh- oh, right. The execution."

 _Ugh._ I've gotta dress nicely, because guess who's filming? Yeah. Me. At least this is the end. When President Snow dies, The Hunger Games die with him. We can _finally_ build a greater Panem.

Pollux kicks and flails in his own corner, fighting off some imaginary foe. I crawl over to him and gently shake his shoulders.

"Pollux, wake up. Wake up. You're dreaming…"

He opens his eyes and grimaces.

"You saw Castor again, didn't you?" I ask. Pollux can only stare at the floor. Then I see his quick nod.

Each of us retreats into separate rooms, donning our best camera-ready clothes and makeup to cover our harrowed faces. As I dress, I put on my only birthday gift from Ruby. It's a silver necklace that was made in District One, molded into the shape of two blades crossing.

"Why weapons?" I'd asked her. "Doesn't that bring up… memories?"

"Well, this is for _you_ , not me. Things have been getting worse lately, what with the riots and everything, and I just… I wanted it to serve as a reminder that you can be your own weapon."

And I was. I fought against the Gamemaker's pods and helped storm the Capitol- without killing a single person. I can say that I lived to see a horrible era crumble apart. Today, everything I faced becomes worth it.

I'd appreciate this more if my mother were here. All the remaining victors deserve to watch, to know their suffering is over. Finnick Odair's on-air confession made it clear that leaving the arena didn't mean the Capitol left them alone. Ruby hasn't told me anything regarding how they treated her specifically, and I won't push her. She'll tell me when she's ready.

Am _I_ ready for what happens next?

* * *

I press the record button on my camera, and the procession begins. We stand inside the Remake Center. Over a thousand children have been paraded through here, all preparing themselves for death.

Katniss assumes her rightful place as the executioner, her favorite weapon in hand. She's the best archer I know. Six other victors stand beside her.

 _Ruby should be there, too._

While President Coin watches from a balcony, President Snow is bound to a pillar. I've never seen him this close- and he's most definitely not in good shape. His cheeks are hollow, his skin white. Blood drips from the corner of his mouth. Planned or unplanned, he wouldn't have lasted the month.

The Mockingjay places her arrow on the bow, pulls it back, and releases… but it doesn't fly in President Snow's direction. Instead, Alma Coin falls. The arrow has pierced her throat.

 _Oh, crap. Do I keep filming?_

Immediately, Katniss is restrained. Others don't seem to care about Coin. Me, I didn't really know the woman. But Katniss has gone downhill since explosive parachutes killed her little sister on the battlefield. Won't talk with anybody. Either she's completely snapped, or she blames Coin for what happened. Which leads to a disturbing thought:

Maybe Alma Coin orchestrated the parachute bombings.

Hordes of people stampede towards President Snow, who's laughing, and coughing incessantly. Whatever they do to him, it won't be pretty.

I nod at Pollux. "Let's get out of here."

We pack up and return to the presidential mansion by ourselves, walking in silence.

I nearly drop my bag when I see my uncle Smoky waiting for me. I don't hesitate to give him the biggest embrace. We're still getting to know each other, but he's my family.

"Ruby…?"

Smoky's eyes water…and I know what he's going to say.

"She didn't make it, sweetheart," he chokes out.

I can't hold the tears in anymore. Everything just comes at once, like a flood. I mourn for the mother I barely had time with. Mourn the father I never knew.

When I've had my fill of crying, Uncle Smoky announces, "I think we should go home."

Ruby's mansion feels hollow with only him for company. My other family members return from District 13 soon enough, but we're not the same people. We sit down to a meager dinner of bean soup.

"Maybe it's time we went back to our apartments," Selene tells Delphy after we eat.

"Not tonight," I argue. "You already spent the day traveling."

Amber's face scrunches up in thought. "You know something? You've been so good to Cressida, Selene. Why don't you and your daughter come live with us?"

"Really?"

"There's plenty of room," my grandmother says. "I think Ruby would've loved that." She owns the place now, so she can do whatever she pleases.

My aunt, uncle and cousins agree unanimously, which brings a huge smile to my lips. They've officially welcomed my adopted mother and sister.

So often, I've wondered why I should even bother getting up.

 _This_ is why.


End file.
